Chapter 24 #2
He whispers in my ear, “Want to go out there?”
The excitement heard in his tone transfers, and I nod. “Yes, I do.” Calling him charming didn’t do him justice. He knew I wanted fresh air, and like magic, he gave it to me.
Shifting around me, he goes to the door and pulls a rod from the top of the frame and unbolts it.
Pushing forward, wind slips in through the opening.
He holds it open for me. I wouldn’t say it’s the size of a basketball court, but I don’t know those measurements, and it’s massive out here.
My eyes return to him on a swivel. “How do you have a pool up here?”
He grins. “Just do. I wouldn’t suggest skinny-dipping unless the underwater lights are off. Unless you’re an exhibitionist.”
“You’ve met me, right?” The pool is tiny, but it’s enough to enjoy an afternoon if you need to cool off.
Chuckling, he says, “I have. Just letting you know it’s an option.
” He lets the door close and starts toward the turf-covered area.
I follow him to a row of four lounge chaises.
He grabs towels from a cabinet and a blanket from a large trunk.
“I thought we could lie out here. Horns aren’t the same as the ocean, but maybe it can help you sleep. ”
I just fell for this man all over again.
Dragging two together, he spreads the towels down and then sits, patting the spot next to him. So stinkin’ cute. I lie next to him as he reaches over me to tuck the blanket in on the other side of me before he snuggles close under the covers. “What do you think, Sunshine?”
His eyes have a renewed energy, lifting his expression and bringing it to life. He did this for me, brought me out to get fresh air, but it sure looks good on him.
He leans over and kisses me. Even when deepened, there’s no intent behind it other than connecting. It’s not a base to lead to a home run or a puck to a goal . . . wait, not sure that makes sense. I need to learn about hockey quickly.
I cuddle in the nook of his arm, resting my head on his shoulder. “Thank you.” I flip my index finger up. “And don’t say you’re welcome.”
“You are, though.” I don’t have to see the smirk with the smugness all over his response.
“Good night.” I’m pulled to say more. Even though it was said in the aftermath of making love earlier, this is love.
This is the kind found in the day-to-day that reminds someone they’re not alone.
We’re not alone anymore. “I love you.” I don’t whisper.
I let the wind overhear my heart speaking to his and whisk it away, so the world knows.
“I love you, too, Sunshine.” His lips meet the crown of my head, and warmth blossoms in my chest.
The sound of the city lulls my body into relaxation, but it’s the safety of his arms that has me falling deeper—into sleep and into love with him.
“Is the blindfold really necessary, Daniel?”
Leading me by both hands toward him, he replies, “Yes.”
“I’m not saying I’m against being blindfolded and getting another smack on the ass from you—”
“What?”
“What?” We’re not moving, so I’m thinking he caught what I was throwing down.
We start moving again. “We’re revisiting this conversation another time.”
“I’d rather revisit you pene—”
“The Maverick of Hockey.” That’s not Daniel. I try to free my hands, but he’s holding them like he knows I’m freaking out.
“How are you doing, Billy?” Daniel asks.
“Good. Good,” this Billy guy replies. “Is this the little lady?”
“It is.” Aw, Daniel says that with such pride.
Clearing my throat, I say, “I’m right here. And thank you for the compliment, Billy.”
Daniel comes closer but still holds my hands so tight I can’t shake them free. “Promise to leave on the blindfold, Summer?”
“Yep,” I lie like a dog getting away with the Thanksgiving turkey.
As soon as he releases one, I reach for the blindfold. His quick reflexes have my wrists trapped in just one of his hands. “Disappointing,” he says with a chuckle.
“What can I say? Being at someone else’s mercy isn’t my favorite.”
“Trust me, you’re going to like this surprise.”
I hear a metal door protest when it’s opened. My mind reels through fifty different scenarios of where we might be, from jail to the top of the Empire State Building. I have no clue, so I might as well go with the flow. “Well, let’s get on with it, then.”
We move forward. I hear the door close, but this time, the lock doesn’t get bolted back in place. There’s that silver lining. When we find our way into another area, it’s more echoey. “Hello?” I call out to test if my voice comes back to me.
“What are you doing?” He can’t hide the amusement in his tone, though it kind of sounds like he’s trying to.
“I don’t know. Trying to figure out where you brought me.”
“You’re going to know very soon. Come a little farther.” I walk forward with confidence. He’s not going to let anything happen to me despite the hard time I’m giving him. “Stay right here.”
I hear him shuffling and what sounds like a box he’s digging through.
Daniel slips a wide knit headband over my head, covering my ears.
“You know it’s almost the end of June, right?
” I was starting to sweat in the layers he forced me to wear out tonight.
I’m comfortable in this room, though, and even feel a little chill on my nose and exposed hands.
“I do know that.”
A scarf is wrapped around my neck. “If you’re going to strangle me, can I at least remove the blindfold?”
“No. Keep it on. Only a minute longer, and then all will be revealed. Hold out your hand.”
I hold out a hand. “Oh my God. Are you about to propose?” I’m kidding. Now if I could only see his reaction. I bet it’s epic.
Slipping a glove on me, he laughs. “You don’t need that kind of jump scare.”
“I’m impressed that even hearing the word proposal didn’t send you running.”
My face is cupped and tilted up. His lips press firm to mine in a heated kiss. Just as my lips mold to his, he disappears. “Other hand.”
I huff, holding out my other hand for him to slip a glove on it. The movement I was hearing stops, his breathing even. I stand there and wait, wanting him to have his moment. Whatever is about to happen, I know he’s put time and effort and a whole lot of consideration into surprising me.
The swift cool air drifts across my face when he shifts in front of me, and asks, “Are you ready?”
I can’t wait to see the smile that I hear in his voice. “I’m ready.”
The blindfold is lifted to rest on my forehead. Daniel is always a nice surprise, but he’s blocking my view. When he steps aside, my hands fly to cover my mouth when it drops open. I pivot my gaze back to him, who knows by the smirk on his face that he’s done good. Darn good.
I glance at the box stuffed in an arena seat and see white ice skates still inside. Tears flood my eyes, and even when I tip my head back, I can’t keep them from falling. “You brought me ice-skating?”
“Figured we could skate together since we’re a long way off from preseason.”
He flips a seat down for me to sit. I take in the rink and the arena, the scoreboard, and the large speakers, their penguin mascot painted under layers of ice, and the team’s logos on the sides. “This is where you play?”
He sits next to me to start putting on his skates. “This is where I play.”
The tears should have subsided. I don’t know why, but I feel closer to him than ever, being here. Leaning over, I hug him. “Thank you. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“It’s fun you’re here, Sunshine. So I guess I should have asked. Do you know how to ice-skate?”
Oh boy. “It’s been a while, but I sure do. I was Frosty the Snowman in our school’s production in third grade. It was a live show on ice.”
“I can’t wait to see those moves.”
“Yeah, watch out. Literally.” I laugh just as the crackle of speakers is sharp to the ears.
A pop song soon comes through. Removing the blade covers from his skates, he backs onto the ice.
I take one off and then the other just as the song changes from upbeat to .
. . My heart catches in my throat. “Are you romancing me, Mr. Sutton?”
“May I have this dance?”
I take his hand and step onto the ice. I want to say it’s like riding a bike, but I’m grateful the sides of the skates are reinforced to keep my ankles from breaking.
He asks, “Can you skate backward?”
“No.” I flash a humorless grin. “Absolutely not.”
Moving his hands to my waist, he says, “Hold my shoulders. I got you.”
He’s got me alright. It’s been so long since I skated.
With him, I feel like I skate all the time.
We spin around the rink, taking it wide.
He rarely looks back as if the size is burned into his memory.
Our hair is blowing from the speed, our eyes locked together.
My mind is concentrating on staying upright, but I have a feeling he skates by instinct.
“What do you think?” he asks, not slowing as we take another lap around the rink.
“I think you know how to win a girl’s heart.”
Pulling me closer again, he lifts me into the air, spinning faster with me in his arms. When he lets me slide down so our eyes are equal, he whispers, “I don’t want to be apart from you.”
When the song changes to another melody, I slip lower, my skates landing on the ice again. “I don’t want to be apart from you either.” I look toward the seats, the reminder all around us. Our worlds aren’t the same. “We have time to figure things out.”
He slides his arm around my lower back, holding my hand in the air with the other. “I know but—”
“No buts. Not yet. Please. I just want to be with you, Daniel, at this moment right now.”
We start skating slowly, our gazes only on each other as we dance across the smooth surface.
With his secure hold of me and the wind in our hair, he makes me feel as if I could do this, like I am doing it, soaring across the ice like I could almost fly.
Slowing in the center of the rink again, he loosens his arm from around my waist, and I spin slowly like a ballerina.
And caught before there’s any possibility of falling.
And when I’m brought into his arms again, he holds me there—my body in his arms, my gaze, and my heart in his hands. “Promise me tomorrow, Summer. Promise me when we leave here, we’ll still have this together.”
I’d like to kiss him, but when the blade slips, he catches me. So I hold onto him, knowing he’s got me just like he said, and whisper, “We’ll still have this. I promise you. Tomorrow is just one of many days ahead. We have forever.”
Caressing my cheek, he kisses me and then his embrace keeps in his arms. “I’ll take forever, Sunshine. That’s how in love with you I am. I’m lovesick for you.”
It’s like those earlier tears were just waiting in the wings and come back uninvited.
It’s not the tears I’m worried about, though.
It’s my heart. I’ve been spoiled to only know this side of him, the one that opens up and shares what’s on his mind and heart.
I don’t see the bad boy of hockey or someone that needs to change anything about himself.
So it’s easy to pretend today is all that matters with him, to make promises of forever with any hesitation.
But there will come a time . . . I don’t want to think about it.
I shake it off by wiggling my hips for him to earn a laugh and to keep my tears and broken heart at bay.
“You’re in luck. I just so happen to know the cure for that. ”
His smile returns. “Oh yeah?”
Patting his chest, I say, “I’ll fix you right up and take good care of you.”
“Promise?”
The promises reveal a deeper need. I feel it too. A hint of desperation to keep things the same when we both know they’re going to change before we’re ready. It doesn’t make it any harder to give him the world and my soul. “I promise.” I’m going to do everything in my power to keep it.